Since American missionary Henry Henry founded Peicai School in Korea in 1885, after more than a century of development, Christianity has flourished in Korea, with more than 25% of the total population of Christians, and the world's 12 largest Christian churches, Eleven of them are in Seoul. Lu Xun once said: "The result of rejecting people is the immortal of credit." How does Li Cangdong, who admires Lu Xun so much, express the religious factors that permeate the entire society in the world of light and shadow?
"Green Fish" (1997) is the first part of Li Changdong's famous "green trilogy". In this debut work, the anti-lyric and anti-hero narrative methods, such as the heroic rescue of the soldier, who was beaten down, and the illegal car chasing the police car running all over the street, injected fresh and sharp vitality into the cheerful and shallow Hallyu. The clergy of the church seduced the married woman and was repaired by the gangsters. They were so frightened and ugly. It was a small gift from the director to the Korean religious culture.
"Mints" (2000) tells a desperate and memorable story. Lee Chang-dong analyzes the cruelty of life with plain images and a soothing rhythm, showing amazing talent and self-confidence, representing the highest level of Korean cinema in the new century. level. The personal destiny of the film's protagonist, Kim Yong-ho (played by Xue Jing-gu), is closely related to the situation of the times: he was shot in the Gwangju incident, accidentally killed a girl, and after he was discharged from the army, he became a brutal policeman, stepping on his feet one step at a time. On the road to destruction. Yonghao's wife never misses the opportunity to pray before having sex and meals. Such a devout Christian is actually a red apricot. The film's satire on the role of religious indoctrination leaves no trace, and it is so wonderful.
"Oasis" (2002) reflects the hypocritical side of Korean society through the love between a marginal person and a girl with cerebral palsy. The male protagonist uses the opportunity of the priest to pray and rushes out of the police station, as if to imply that the role of religion is not only limited in the real suffering, but sometimes it is counterproductive, and the oasis of life can only be created by human beings themselves. The film won the 59th Venice Film Festival Best Director Award, Best New Actor Award, and Christ Church Award (SIGNIS Award).
A society with a very large religious power can tolerate and appreciate the questioning and criticism of religious culture, and it has the atmosphere of a cultural power. Li Changdong, who has won numerous domestic and international awards, became the Minister of Culture in 2003 (serving for 16 months) and became a well-known "business card" of Korean culture. His doubts and interrogation of religion, through the temptation and foreshadowing of the "Green Trilogy", reached a climax in "Miryang".
Lee Shin-ae (played by Jeon Do-yeon) brought her child to Miryang, the hometown of her late husband. This sunny town with simple folk customs is almost impeccable, except for the occasional unpleasant missionaries and suitors who are inseparable like pyramid schemes. Unexpectedly, Miryang eventually became her sad place, the pain of losing her beloved son choked her throat, and it was difficult to breathe. She stayed away from religion, and went to the church to vent her inner pain.
Believing in God, singing hymns, gathering with church members, and praying, Shen Ai has become a happy "Xiang Lin's Wife", and everyone says that God has saved her suffering soul. Encouraged by the pastor, she resolved to respond to God's teaching to forgive her enemy and love him. When she passed the love and grace of God to the murderer in the prison, she discovered that the murderer had obtained God's redemption through repentance, her heart was quite peaceful, and her forgiveness was insignificant.
Hegel said that the owl of Minerva (the goddess of wisdom) did not take off until dusk. For Shin Ae, the ease with which sins can be forgiven means the twilight of idols. In the ensuing darkness, Shen Ai, who deeply felt the deception, launched a frantic revenge: the priest who could not stand the temptation, and Shen Ai had sex in the wild in the clear sky, Shen Ai looked at the sky with good eyes: "Look at the sky. Is it clear?" The pastor got up in a hurry and said as if God was watching us. Shen Ai once again had difficulty breathing, and she vomited with nausea as if she was overturned.
Shin Ae's doubts about God, her belief in God, and the whole process of making her sick are captured by Jeon Do-yeon, becoming the first and so far only Korean actress to win the Best Actress Award at Cannes. The first shot of the film is the blue sky and white clouds, and the last shot is the sunlight falling on the ground. The director's implication is clear: the meaning of life is not in the sky, but only in real life.
If Mr. Lu Xun had a spirit in heaven and saw the works of his Korean fans, how would he feel? Would you say something along the lines of the times: Destroy the beautiful things for others to see, cups! (Originally published in Xinmin Weekly)
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